A joint service between five Bournemouth churches has seen 92 people publicly give their lives to Christ.
Taking place on Boscombe Beach during last weekend’s heatwave, the service invited the public - as well as all five congregations of Lansdowne Church, Love Church, Catch the Fire, Coastline Vineyard and Bournemouth Community Church - to praise and celebrate.
Hundreds sang together, with the worship lyrics posted in advance online, before each church conducted their own baptisms in five flag-marked sections of sea.
“We knew ahead of time there’d be a lot of people on the beach,” said Mark Smailes, associate pastor of Lansdowne Church. “Everyone was genuinely interested in what was going on. Some people stopped for part of it – some stopped and watched the whole thing.”
Smailes told Premier Christian News that the idea of seaside baptisms had been repeatedly requested at multi-church gatherings.
“All of us worked together to make it happen,” he said. “There was a host of different people involved; communicating with the council, and liaising with different people in the church.”
Demand proved even higher on the day – with some people deciding during the service itself to make a commitment.
“We were aware [beforehand] of 67 people wanting to be baptised,” he told Premier, “but throughout the weekend, and even on the morning itself, more people responded to the gospel.”
Among those baptised was a previously atheist man in his late twenties, who had been recommended by a friend to watch the film The Passion of Christ. “He had sought out our Church, wanting to know more about Jesus,” said Smailes.
Another had overcome drug and alcohol addiction, and told BBC Dorset: “The second I gave my life to Christ I was instantly relieved of the bondage of addiction. [Baptism] means everything to me. I owe my life to Christ, so to be baptised in his name is unbelievable".
Smailes said God is at work in Bournemouth: “We’re delighted to share the gospel with people where they are. God is still good, and the grace of salvation is held out to all. Let’s encourage one another.”